Bail-joint



E. F. FITZGERALD.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. i6, l9l6.

Patnt-ed Aug. 22, 1916.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTOR N EY ens;

T @FFTQE RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 16, 1916. Serial No. 78,716.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD F. FITZGER- ALD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Warren, in the county of \Varren and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail- Joints, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved rail joint and the principal object of the inven tion is to provide a rail joint so constructed that it is not necessary to drill holes through the web of the rails at the ends thereof and to further so construct this oint that it may be easily and quickly applied, wedges being provided for tightening the joint.

Another object of the invention is to so construct this joint that the securing wedges will be securely held in place when tightened but easily moved to an inoperative position.

Another object of'the invention is to provide a joint which will be strong anddurable and which is further ,so constructed that it may be easily and quickly removed and transferred to another place along the track or put back in place in case a new rail is being inserted.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of the 11'I1 proved joint. Fig. 2 is view showing the joint in section and the rail in end elevatlon.

This joint is used for connecting the ends of the two rail sections 10 and 11 and includes side bars 12 and 13 which fit in tight engagement with the base, web and under faces of the tread of the rails as shown in Fig. 2. Supporting feet 14 extend from these side bars for resting upon a tie and provide means for engagement by. spikes or other fasteners so that longitudinal movement of the side bars will be prevented. The side bars are further provided with blocks 15, the blocks 15 of the side bar 13 being out out to provide seats 16 to receive wedges 17 and engage the upper and lower faces of these wedges to prevent vertical movement of the wedges. The yokes 18 extend beneath the rails and have their arms 19 extending upwardly and provided with inwardly extending fingers 20 engaging the upper faces of the blocks 15. These yokes will preferably be formed of heavy metal of some resiliency so that when the wedges are drawn horizontally into the seats by bolts 21 they will be tightly gripped and thus prevented from slipping out of place. It should be noted that these yokes are so positioned that one of the yokes will extend beneath the point where the rail ends meet and the remaining yokes positioned at point distant from the contacting rail ends. Therefore the end portions of the rails will be strongly braced and supported thus preventing'the track from' being weakened at the connections between the lengths of rails.

WVhen this device is in use, the rails are placed upon the ties and the side bars are then put in place. The yokes are passed beneath the rails and drawn upwardly and slid into place with the fingers 20 engaging the upper faces of the blocks 15 thus preventing the yokes from having vertical movement. The wedges 17 are now inserted in the pockets 16 and when drawn tightly into place by the bolts 21 which pass through the plates 23 will move the yokes transversely thus causing a tight binding action between the wedges and the yokes and side bars 13 and further causing a. tight binding action between the side bars 13 and the rails. Securing spikes can now be driven into the ties upon which the feet 14 rest. These spikes will be placed so that they will engage the feet at the forward or rear faces thereof and therefore it will be impossible for the bars to move longitudinally. WVhen it is desired to disconnect the rails for replacing a new one, the wedges can be drawn out of place by bolts 22 which pass through the plates 24 and the yokes removed. After the securing spikes have been withdrawn so that they do not engage the feet 14, the side bars can then be easily removed from the rails and after a new rail has been put in place the joint can be reassembled.

l Vhat is claimed is 1. A rail joint including abutting rail ends, side bars fitting against said rails and engaging the bases, webs and under faces of the treads thereof, feet extending from said side bars at points spaced from the contacting ends of said rails, blocks extending from said side bars, certain of said blocks being positioned in alinement with the contacting rail ends and the blocks of one of said bars being provided with cutouts forming pockets, yokes extending beneath said rails, and having side arms extending upwardly and terminating in fingers engaging the upper Patented Aug. 22, 1916.

faces of said blocks, and securing wedges fitting into the pockets of said blocks and engaging said yokes to create a binding action between the side bars and said rails.

2. A rail joint comprising abutting rail ends, side bars extending along said rail ends, blocks extending from said side bars, the blocks of one of said side bars being provided with feet, yokes extending beneath said rail ends and having arms extending upwardly to engage the upper faces of said blocks, and wedges positioned in said yokes and serving to move said side bars into binding engagement with said rail ends.

3. A rail joint comprising abutting rail ends, side bars extending along said rail ends, blocks extending from said side bars, the blocks of one of said side bars forming seats, yokes extending beneath said rail ends and engaging said blocks, and wedges fitting into said seats and engaging said yokes to move said side bars into binding engagement with said rail ends.

4. A rail joint including abutting rail ends, side bars extending along said rail ends, feet extending from said side bars for engagement by fasteners to prevent longitudinal movement of said side bars, yokes extending beneath said rail ends and engaging said side bars, and means fitting within said yokes to move said side bars into binding engagement with said. rail ends.

extending beneath said rail ends and engaging said side bars and means fitting within said yokes for moving said side bars into binding'engagement with said rail ends.

6. A rail joint comprising abutting rail ends, side bars extending along said rail ends, one of said side bars being provided with fingers positioned in superposed relation to form seats, yokes extending beneath said rail ends and having their arms extending to engage said side bars, wedges slidably mounted in said seats, plates engaging said fingers, and draw-bolts passing through each wedge in opposite directions and having their heads engaging opposite ends of the wedges and their threaded ends passing through said plates, and securing nuts for said bolts to draw the same and move the wedges into and out of tight engagement with the yoke arms.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWVARD F. FITZGERALD.

Witnesses:

JAMES V. MoNEnLY, T. C. JAMIEsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 0.. 

